Monday, October 1, 2012

Guns Confiscated at the Airport Increasing

In fact, the T.S.A. says the number of guns
found at airport security checkpoints has been steadily rising for the
last couple of years. Through Friday, 1,105 guns have been found this
year, a pace that is higher than last year’s. In 2011, the total was
1,320, up from 1,123 in 2010, the agency says.

Security
experts attribute the increase to two factors: a rise in gun sales and
the sharp growth of so-called right-to-carry laws across the country
that significantly relax regulations on carrying guns in many areas of
public life, from colleges to hospitals.

Invariably, according to the T.S.A., travelers
at airports with guns in their carry-on bags say they simply forgot they
had them. “It’s almost always inadvertent rather than intentional,”
said David Castelveter, a spokesman for the agency.

Like
other professionals in security, law enforcement and firearms safety,
Mr. Castelveter was baffled by how anyone could forget that they were
carrying a gun. “I’m a Vietnam vet, and when I went through training I
was taught that my gun was my best friend — and God forbid you should
ever lose sight of that fact. I would never, ever not know that I have a
gun in my bag.”

The usefulness of One Strike You're Out cannot be overestimated. The same people who "forget" they have a gun in their possession when the arrive at the airport are the same ones who are capable of forgetting there's a round in the chamber when they clean their gun or forget to store the gun properly when its not on their person.

1 comment:

How can you put on a video against the War on Drugs, but then support an agency whose entire purpose is to fight the equally foolish War on Terror? There's a contradiction in your attitude here, Mikeb.